


Exercising Your Demons

by Brighid



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: M/M, Post-Nogitsune Stiles Stilinski, Vignette, Wolf Derek Hale
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-10
Updated: 2021-01-10
Packaged: 2021-03-13 21:14:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 320
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28660032
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Brighid/pseuds/Brighid
Summary: Just a little scene of what I think would have happened if Kate had not.
Relationships: Derek Hale/Stiles Stilinski
Comments: 1
Kudos: 60





	Exercising Your Demons

**Author's Note:**

  * For [isthatbloodonhisshirt (wasterella)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/wasterella/gifts).



The woods rustle and whisper with the secret dreams of trees. The wolf moves slow and sleepily in the the half-moonlight, breath huffing slightly as his companion runs soft, absentminded fingers down his spine, catching stray leaves and bits of bramble. They bump companionably against one another as they walk the dirt path. After a while the boy’s fingers weave in tighter, grip the fur tighter, and the wolf huffs again.

“Yeah, yeah,” the boys says, his voice tired and distracted and wry. “Fuck, I miss sleep. It was my second favourite thing to do.” The wolf snorts his opinion of that. “You — shut up. Rude. Rudewolf.” 

It’s been six weeks since the Nogitsune had worn the wolf’s boy like a second skin, had left its stink and smear on him. Had chewed him up and spat him out somehow both whole and broken. Six weeks of dark dreams and insomnia and night terrors and midnight walks through woods have followed that day. Would likely continue in the weeks to come.

But the wolf likes the woods. And he more than likes the boy. So it’s no hardship to walk beside him, to anchor him in the shadow hours just as the boy anchors him in the daylight world. 

Tonight the wolf and his boy have walked at least seven miles and the boy’s steps are tired and slowing with each mile walked. “I think I’m ready for midnight pancakes,” he says at last, and the wolf snaps his jaws in agreement because midnight pancakes, while not as appealing as a small vole or a fat cricket are to this shape, are still very tasty indeed. 

The wolf stands, shakes and snaps into the shape of a man and wraps his arm around the boy’s shoulders. “Pancakes sound good,” he agrees.

“And if you keep your pants off, I bet Jenny lets you eat free!” 

The wolf rolls his eyes.

**Author's Note:**

> I think Derek would have stayed. I think something would have unfurled between them, so slowly. I think the connection to Stiles is what gave Derek his wolf. I think they would have anchored each other. So it’s Derek/Stiles, just not explicitly so.


End file.
